This invention relates to a lock container, which communicates with a reactor, which is operated under a pressure of at least 2 bars and serves to gasify or combust solid fuels, which container serves to remove ash from the reactor and is pressurized and is relieved from pressure via a pressure relief line. The term "ash" usually describes solid residues, which may also contain carbon.
Such a lock container is known and has been described, e.g., in Published German Application No. 33 33 870 and in the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,059. When the lock container has received ash from the reactor and must subsequently be relieved from pressure before it is emptied, considerable amounts of fine ash will be entrained by the gas flowing to a pressure relief. If a filter is incorporated in the pressure relief line, that filter will soon be clogged by the solids and will frequently have to be backpurged or replaced.